On each of these pages, we have collectively created a place where many resources have been evaluated and described for proper usage in conjunction with Learning through Universal Design. These tools can be used to determine differentiation through interests, profiles of learning, and different learning styles. All of these resources help us use technology while differentiating.
Using the technology available will help meet all of the students needs no matter how diverse. I have already begun to do this using a wikispace, as well as voicethread in the classroom. My students have been able to utilize www.glogster.com and I am always perusing different web 2.0 tools for technological methods to enhance learning in the classroom. The important thing that I hope to keep in mind is to keep the technology focused on reaching many modes of learning.
Updated Links December 12, 2010: I have been utilizing my textbooks' webpage at www.classzone.com in my classroom as it provides differentiation in a variety of ways.
Readiness: The Access Center: Strategies for Differentiating Instruction
The link above outlines in a chart strategies for differentiation, its primary use, descriptions, and things to consider. The majority of the strategies have a primary use outlined for readiness. The descriptions and things to consider ground the information in easy to implement methodology.
This chart is a great go to reference to use when developing lessons with readiness differentiation in mind. One might create a lesson and reference the chart for considerations and expectations for students.
As the document states: “Teachers use diagnostic assessments to determine students’ readiness.” and as we have learned through our study, the teacher must then analyze with students their needs and abilities to synthesize their learning capabilities. (this document also includes some methods for interest surveys).
Interest: Teacher Leaders: Differentiate by Interest
The link above provides technology tools to differentiate learning by interest. The website also breaks down interest differentiation by subjects such as “general interest,” “Literacy,” and “Science.” The website also provides brief descriptions of the resources and examples of how a teacher might utilize the resource.
A great website to use for an interest center in specific lessons based on science, or literacy. Great independent activities are spotlighted in the website.
As we have read and what is generally common sense, interest driven differentiation and learning provides motivation and engagement for students. The resources listed on the website provide the latest technology and characterizes the resources by age and level to maximize interest and provide options for the students.
Learning Profile: Responsive Teaching Best Practices in Differentiated Instruction
The link above provides a brief description of the use of differentiation using a learning profile. It also lists several PDF and Microsoft Word files as resources to help develop differentiation using multiple intelligence, interest inventories/surveys, and centers.
Many of the documents include surveys and analytical preassessments. These documents would be a great way to enlighten the teacher as well as the student in best methodology for groups of students and classes for use during centers or jigsaw activities.
The link is useful in developing best practices in the classroom for learning profiles which honors and respects the multiple modalities of learning often seen in the classroom and focused on in our readings for several weeks.
Interest Survey: The link I chose from various searches is one that is not only appropriate for my students’ age group (6th grade), but also for their location. The same questions should not be used for urban living students than for other locations and vice versus. It studies general student interests in and outside of school, but also tracks students’ family information. Such a survey provides information in the event the student needs help in various areas of school and also acts as a preemptive strike against the “I hate school” excuses. The survey also includes space for writing, rather than just checking information off, and also a drawing area, so as to include the various levels and differences among students. http://faculty.citadel.edu/hewett/web_files/interest_inventory_and_background_information.html
Learning Style Survey: Edutopia.com provides a learning style survey that is very quick, and unlike other surveys not completely obvious about the learning styles your response would influence. The rating scale allows students some leeway for their preference with the scale going from “none” to “all the time.” At the end, the website automatically calculates your personal result with percentages in a bar graph and provides links to educate people on the various types of intelligences and their strengths. The survey seems to be applicable to middle school students all the way up to adults as the questions are broad, yet easy to understand. http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz
Multiple Intelligences Survey: The online survey indicates the percentage of the person’s preference for each learning style/intelligence. This link is more comprehensive due to it’s inclusion of the eight intelligences where many surveys do not include all of the multiple intelligences. The questionnaire allows people to choose as many of the options as is relevant to their personalities. The survey is convenient as it can also be automatically graded for instant results. This can be used for middle school students as well as older students and adults. http://www.jaconline.com.au/sosealive/home/mitest.swf
Learning Style Profile: This learning profile tool puts together an individuals learning styles through various questions that the respondent uses an “a lot like me” to “not at all like me” scale to answer. This particular online survey is unique in that it shows the respondent the immediate effects of their responses; as soon as a question is answered the bar graph to the right changes. The results can be emailed, a teacher can easily send all results to their own computer and have them on file. This style profile could be used in middle school through college classes. http://www.acceleratedlearning.com/method/test_your_style.html
Week 7: Summary
On each of these pages, we have collectively created a place where many resources have been evaluated and described for proper usage in conjunction with Learning through Universal Design. These tools can be used to determine differentiation through interests, profiles of learning, and different learning styles. All of these resources help us use technology while differentiating.
Using the technology available will help meet all of the students needs no matter how diverse. I have already begun to do this using a wikispace, as well as voicethread in the classroom. My students have been able to utilize www.glogster.com and I am always perusing different web 2.0 tools for technological methods to enhance learning in the classroom. The important thing that I hope to keep in mind is to keep the technology focused on reaching many modes of learning.
Updated Links December 12, 2010:
I have been utilizing my textbooks' webpage at www.classzone.com in my classroom as it provides differentiation in a variety of ways.
Readiness: The Access Center: Strategies for Differentiating Instruction
http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/documents/DifferentiationStrategiesTool.doc
The link above outlines in a chart strategies for differentiation, its primary use, descriptions, and things to consider. The majority of the strategies have a primary use outlined for readiness. The descriptions and things to consider ground the information in easy to implement methodology.
This chart is a great go to reference to use when developing lessons with readiness differentiation in mind. One might create a lesson and reference the chart for considerations and expectations for students.
As the document states: “Teachers use diagnostic assessments to determine students’ readiness.” and as we have learned through our study, the teacher must then analyze with students their needs and abilities to synthesize their learning capabilities.
(this document also includes some methods for interest surveys).
Interest: Teacher Leaders: Differentiate by Interest
http://www.teacherleaders.com/Differentiation/Interest.html
The link above provides technology tools to differentiate learning by interest. The website also breaks down interest differentiation by subjects such as “general interest,” “Literacy,” and “Science.” The website also provides brief descriptions of the resources and examples of how a teacher might utilize the resource.
A great website to use for an interest center in specific lessons based on science, or literacy. Great independent activities are spotlighted in the website.
As we have read and what is generally common sense, interest driven differentiation and learning provides motivation and engagement for students. The resources listed on the website provide the latest technology and characterizes the resources by age and level to maximize interest and provide options for the students.
Learning Profile: Responsive Teaching Best Practices in Differentiated Instruction
http://schools.webster.k12.mo.us/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=40488
The link above provides a brief description of the use of differentiation using a learning profile. It also lists several PDF and Microsoft Word files as resources to help develop differentiation using multiple intelligence, interest inventories/surveys, and centers.
Many of the documents include surveys and analytical preassessments. These documents would be a great way to enlighten the teacher as well as the student in best methodology for groups of students and classes for use during centers or jigsaw activities.
The link is useful in developing best practices in the classroom for learning profiles which honors and respects the multiple modalities of learning often seen in the classroom and focused on in our readings for several weeks.
MY UDL PRESENTATION:
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7870239
Interest Survey:
The link I chose from various searches is one that is not only appropriate for my students’ age group (6th grade), but also for their location. The same questions should not be used for urban living students than for other locations and vice versus. It studies general student interests in and outside of school, but also tracks students’ family information. Such a survey provides information in the event the student needs help in various areas of school and also acts as a preemptive strike against the “I hate school” excuses. The survey also includes space for writing, rather than just checking information off, and also a drawing area, so as to include the various levels and differences among students.
http://faculty.citadel.edu/hewett/web_files/interest_inventory_and_background_information.html
Learning Style Survey:
Edutopia.com provides a learning style survey that is very quick, and unlike other surveys not completely obvious about the learning styles your response would influence. The rating scale allows students some leeway for their preference with the scale going from “none” to “all the time.” At the end, the website automatically calculates your personal result with percentages in a bar graph and provides links to educate people on the various types of intelligences and their strengths. The survey seems to be applicable to middle school students all the way up to adults as the questions are broad, yet easy to understand.
http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz
Multiple Intelligences Survey:
The online survey indicates the percentage of the person’s preference for each learning style/intelligence. This link is more comprehensive due to it’s inclusion of the eight intelligences where many surveys do not include all of the multiple intelligences. The questionnaire allows people to choose as many of the options as is relevant to their personalities. The survey is convenient as it can also be automatically graded for instant results. This can be used for middle school students as well as older students and adults.
http://www.jaconline.com.au/sosealive/home/mitest.swf
Learning Style Profile:
This learning profile tool puts together an individuals learning styles through various questions that the respondent uses an “a lot like me” to “not at all like me” scale to answer. This particular online survey is unique in that it shows the respondent the immediate effects of their responses; as soon as a question is answered the bar graph to the right changes. The results can be emailed, a teacher can easily send all results to their own computer and have them on file. This style profile could be used in middle school through college classes.
http://www.acceleratedlearning.com/method/test_your_style.html
My Personal Survey Link:
<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QRX96VS">Click here to take survey</a>